ENCSU temporarily suspends stir

Eastern Nagaland College Students Union (ENCSU) has cautioned the Directorate of Higher Education (DHE) against insulting the student community and appealed to the student community, irrespective of jurisdiction, to come out and voice their discontent against the department’s failure to release student scholarship.

In a release, ENCSU vice president Akum Lim asserted that the department had disbursed the scholarship to only a few students and many were removed from the list of beneficiaries. The department’s reason for the removals was that the students had failed to provide details of their bank accounts, the release said.

In another press release issued later, ENCSU has decided to keep in abeyance their ongoing protest/agitation following a government assurance that the full amount of scholarship would be released before December 25.

In a press release from president M. Longre Chang and general secretary Wangnei C. Jessuhu, ENCSU acknowledged the governments admission of lapses concerning the issue and said that they are optimistic that the system will be streamlined as assured by the chief secretary.

It also said that the union anticipated the SIT report and its publication in the media, as demanded. They appealed to the SIT to expedite the probe and to pursue an impartial and fair investigation, adding “The logic is very simple - catch the thief!”.

It also acknowledged the chief minister, cabinet and chief secretary for their wise decision and requested that measures were taken so that such mistakes were not repeated.

The union also appealed to the student community to have patience and extend their co-operation based on the government’s assurance but warned that if the government should fail to hold up their end of the bargain, ENCSU would not remain silent.